Innovations
Solar
in in
Hydropower
Geothermal
Alternative Energy
Biomass
Wind
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 Rs. 20
Akinshin/iStock/Thinkstock
SERIIUS Innovations
A
By STEVE FOX
energy needs
Vencavolrab/iStock/Thinkstock
of both countries while reducing air pollution.
industries in both countries, undertaken to perform research into cutting-edge solar technologies that have the potential to achieve significant cost reductions in solar power to make it viable.” The United States also stands to benefit significantly from the research underway at SERIIUS, says David Ginley, chief scientist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado, and co-director of SERIIUS. Technologies being developed by the consortium have the potential to make solar energy cost-competitive with traditional energy sources in the United States and India in the not-too-distant future. “There are real deployable outcomes coming out of the consortium. Things that otherwise wouldn’t exist. For example, we have developed new low-cost mirror PAT CORKEY/National Renewable Energy Laboratory
A U.S.-India consortium could address the
mong India’s abundant resources are sunshine and brainpower. Harnessing both through “cooperation and innovation without borders” is among the goals of the Solar Energy Research Institute for India and the United States (SERIIUS), a binational consortium that could help meet India’s electrical power needs while simultaneously reducing air pollution. “SERIIUS is an ambitious attempt to develop disruptive solar technologies that could pave the way for large-scale deployment in India and the U.S.,” explains Professor Pradip Dutta, chairman of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, and deputy managing director of the consortium’s India team. “It is an active collaboration of researchers from universities, research laboratories and
January/February 2016
V O LU M E LV I I N U M B E R 1
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Left: David Ginley (center) at work in a Science and Technology Facility lab at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
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By Steve Fox
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Capturing Carbon, Saving the Planet By Michael Gallant
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A Wood-Fired Planet
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By Candice Yacono
Energy From Waste By Natasa Milas
By Carrie Loewenthal Massey
Tapping the Power of the Ocean By Kimberly Gyatso
Blowin’ in the Wind, Connected in the Cloud Water Power By Jason Chiang
Digging Deep for Energy By Paromita Pain
Clearing the Air By Steve Fox
Energy Careers By James L. Perry and Elisabeth Andrews
Tech Travel
By Anne Walls
36 BRUCE SMITH © AP-WWP
Hydropower
18 Editor in Chief Traci L. Mell
Printed and published by Craig L. Dicker on behalf of the Government of the United States of America and printed at Thomson Press India Ltd., 18/35 Delhi Mathura Road, Faridabad, Haryana 121007 and published at the Public Affairs Section, American Embassy, American Center, 24 K.G. Marg, New Delhi 110001. Opinions expressed in this 44-page magazine do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Government. Articles with a star may be reprinted with permission. Those without a star are copyrighted and may not be reprinted. Contact SPAN at 011-23472135 or editorspan@state.gov
By Carrie Loewenthal Massey
Solar Roadways
Courtesy NWEI
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SERIIUS Innovations
Education
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Wind Energy
6
20
CHARLIE RIEDEL © AP-WWP
Solar Energy
Courtesy Solarroadways.com
CONTENTS
Reviewing Editor Branden L. Young
Editor Deepanjali Kakati Associate Editor Suparna Mukherji Hindi Editor Giriraj Agarwal Urdu Editor Syed Sulaiman Akhtar Copy Editors Bhawya Joshi, Shah Md. Tahsin Usmani Editorial Assistant Yugesh Mathur
Art Director Hemant Bhatnagar Deputy Art Directors Qasim Raza, Shah Faisal Khan Production/Circulation Manager Alok Kaushik Printing Assistant Manish Gandhi
Front cover: (From top) Photographs courtesy Solarroadways.com, GE, Solvay Biomass Energy, Ingal/iStock/Thinkstock and MaFelipe/iStock/Thinkstock. Research Services : Bureau of International Information Programs, The American Library
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Left: Soiling and reliability studies of photovoltaic panels by SERIIUS. Below left: Low-cost parabolic trough collectors developed by SERIIUS.
Photographs courtesy SERIIUS
technologies for [concentrating solar power], models for the viability of solar in India and advanced device models to improve the manufacture of photovoltaics,” says Ginley, noting that SERIIUS, which was launched in 2012 for a period of five years, is due to be renewed in two years. “The hope is that we’ll have a full 10 years to create really deployable technologies and that these technologies may be able to bring low-cost solar manufacturing back to the U.S. and strengthen our and India’s overall capabilities in solar.” The collaborative nature of SERIIUS means challenges unique to each country can be addressed jointly, says Ginley. For example, bringing solar power to millions of Indians living in remote villages requires technologies that can foster local manufacturing of extremely durable photovoltaic panels. SERIIUS researchers are, therefore, working on ways to produce solar panels using technology similar to inkjet printing. “With the right technology, you could set up a lot of little manufacturing lines in villages that would essentially do inkjet-printed [photovoltaics],” says Ginley. “Another major area we’re working on is reliability. India has very high temperatures, high humidity, lots of dust and significant pollution—all bad for [photovoltaics]. So, we’re working on ways to mitigate those issues and develop reliability standards for [photovoltaic] panels that will be deployed in India.” SERIIUS is also working toward improving the efficiency of concentrating solar power systems, which typically generate electricity by using large fields of mirrors or lenses to concentrate sunlight to heat a working fluid to power turbines. The consortium is developing technologies for innovative power cycles like Supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle and Organic Rankine cycle, which are waterless, efficient, scalable and suitable for distributed power generation. These technologies are intended to bring the cost of concentrating solar power down to levels competitive with conventional energy sources and attract investment capital needed to build commercial operations. “This has been one of our most collaborative projects, with outcomes that are already in the
Below right: Professor Pradip Dutta.
test phase,” says Ginley. “It’s an approach that could be especially useful in the U.S., allowing for a much broader application of [concentrating solar power].” While SERIIUS is working on specific technologies to harness solar energy, it is also focused on bringing research institutions and industry together to reduce the time required to transform discoveries in the lab to commercially viable projects in the field. The result is an ongoing binational research infrastructure that will facilitate additional collaboration on ways to make solar energy increasingly viable in the future. “The deep collaboration within SERIIUS is its main strength,” says Dutta. “There is bilateral collaboration at every level. Each research thrust has a co-leader from each country, and every project within a thrust has two project co-leaders— one from each country.” The promise of solar power is immense—clean, inexhaustible energy that can improve the lives of millions of Indians and Americans, while also combating air pollution and climate change. SERIIUS is bringing that promise closer to reality. Steve Fox is a freelance writer, former newspaper publisher and reporter based in Ventura, California.
There are real deployable outcomes coming out of the consortium. Things that otherwise wouldn’t exist . 4 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
Below: Researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru; Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program at Thermax’s concentrated solar power plant in Shive, near Pune.
DENNIS SCHROEDER /National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Below: David Ginley (left) and post-doctoral researcher Paul Ndione work in the Solar Energy Research Facility at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Go Online
SERIIUS
www.seriius.org
Pradip Dutta
www.mecheng.iisc.ernet.in/~pradip
David Ginley
www.nrel.gov/about/ginley.html
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
5
Courtesy Solarroadways.com
An Idaho-based startup is paving the way to the future, with an
innovative design for roads made from
Graphic design by Sam Cornett
solar panels.
6 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
By CANDICE YACONO
Graphic design by Katherine Simons
Left: Julie (left) and Scott Brusaw with a prototype glass panel used for constructing solar roadways. Right: An artist’s rendition of a solar-powered bike path. Below: An artist’s rendition of a solar road in downtown Sandpoint, Idaho.
Solar Roadways
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SOLAR ENERGY
S
olar Roadways took the Internet by storm in 2014, when it raised more than $2 million on the Indiegogo crowdfunding platform. Although Solar Roadways is still in its research and development phase, the groundbreaking invention by the husband and wife team of Scott and Julie Brusaw has changed the way the world looks at one of its oldest and most fundamental infrastructural achievements. “It was actually Julie’s idea,” says co-founder Scott Brusaw. “We had watched Al Gore’s ‘An Inconvenient Truth.’ Shortly afterward, Julie asked me if we could make road surfaces out of solar panels. I explained that solar panels were fragile and couldn’t be driven upon. But I kept thinking about it and, about a week later, explained that if we could make a structurally engineered case to protect the solar cells, a solar road might just work. That’s when Solar Roadways was born.” The Brusaws hope that the concept will revolutionize the transportation and renewable energy industries in the United States and around the world. The technology’s impact is expected to be even greater in areas that do not have a reliable supply of electricity. The Brusaws claim that their panels will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and can withstand up to 113,400 kilograms of weight. They would also be less expensive to maintain than traditional paved roads and might even pay for themselves with the energy harvested by the solar panels. In addition to their self-sustaining abilities, the panels could potentially feed the electrical grid with the excess solar power they would generate. “Our infrastructure system will double as a producer of a great amount of renewable energy,” says Scott. “Roads will become
Graphic design by Sam Cornett
Go Online
Solar Roadways
Photographs courtesy Solarroadways.com
www.solarroadways.com
modular, quick and easy to fix, potholes will be a thing of the past, nighttime driving will be safer due to illuminated road lines, northern roads will be much safer due to no snow or ice accumulation on the road surface, etc. We will eventually charge electric vehicles while they’re being driven.” Solar Roadways started out in 2009 with a $100,000 U.S. Department of Transportation contract, and received a $750,000 follow-up contract two years later. With the second federal grant, the company built a 36-by-12-foot prototype parking lot using 108 solar panels. The company tested the panels’ ability to support heavy loads and traction, resist impact and melt snow. As interest in the company continues to grow, the concept has become the focus of considerable debate at both corporate boardrooms and family dinner tables. Because of this popularity, Indiegogo recently announced that it would continue to let supporters contribute to the project through its InDemand program. In the future, Solar Roadways’ founders assert, businesses could install solar-powered parking lots to move toward ending their dependence on the electrical 8 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
grid or attract customers who could charge their electric vehicles onsite. Residential streets and highways would be their next target. The ultimate goal, however, is to cover all such surfaces that have sun exposure with the panels. But in the short term, the first planned test uses of Solar Roadways panels include applications like sidewalks and playgrounds, which would not put lives at risk if the technology developed glitches or failed. The product will be perfected in this safe environment, before it is launched in more difficult applications. The Brusaws’ next steps include several public installations in the company’s home base in Idaho. “These will be outfitted with our new SR3 panels, and we’ll monitor the installations for several months,” says Scott. “Once we’re convinced that they’re ready for the public market, we’ll begin mass producing. We have customers waiting from every state and almost every country.” Candice Yacono is a magazine and newspaper writer based in southern California.
Top left: An artist’s rendition of a solarpowered interstate roadway. Top: The company’s solar panels support heavy loads and traction. Above far left: Solar Roadways used lightemitting diodes in the prototype parking lot. Above center: Stacked solar panels. Above: The solar panels can melt snow, thus making roads safer during winter.
I
n the 1989 movie “Back to the Future Part II,” there are many predictions about the year 2015. For example, Dr. Emmett “Doc” Brown powers his time machine with banana peels, beer and a beer can. While this is not precisely how energy is produced now, more and more efforts are being made to generate green energy from food waste. One of the biggest projects of this kind— an anaerobic digester that turns food waste into renewable energy—is set to be built on Long Island, New York, by August 2016. Once completed, the anaerobic digester will be able to process 180,000 tons of local food waste per year and convert it into energy: vehicle fuel, electricity, fertilizer and nutrient-rich water. American Organic Energy
(AOE), a waste management company, will operate the plant. AOE, in partnership with companies like GE Power & Water, quasar energy and ScottsMiracle-Gro, has designed the means to separate and break down Long Island’s food waste into renewable energy. Charles Vigliotti, president and chief executive officer of AOE, said in an interview with Politico that, at the new anaerobic digester facility, “We’ll separate the tuna from the can, and recycle the tuna and recycle the can.” The anaerobic digester will be built on Long Island Compost’s already-existing 25hectare facility in the town of Yaphank. Anaerobic digestion is a process by which micro-organisms break down biodegradable
Illustration by HEMANT BHATNAGAR. Photographs © Thinkstock, courtesy www.usbiopower.com
Anaerobic digestor to convert food waste into renewable energy.
Energy
From
BIOGAS
By NATASA MILAS
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The digester is also important from a regulatory perspective. The Long Island “anaerobic digester project aligns with the goals of Governor [Andrew M.] Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision strategy to promote clean energy innovation and attract new investment to build a cleaner, more resilient and affordable energy system for all New Yorkers,” says Constantakes. Potential sources for feeding the anaerobic digester on Long Island are local hospitals, restaurants and supermarkets. “We’re not at all concerned [about] our ability to fill up this plant. There’s more than enough food waste on Long Island,” said Vigliotti in his interview. As it stands, Long Island Compost already converts the region’s yard waste into high-quality organic soil. “This project,” says Constantakes, “will also help to curb greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the amount of waste going into landfills, which will achieve both economic and environmental benefits to local communities.” Natasa Milas is a freelance writer based in New York City.
Go Online Courtesy www.usbiopower.com
material in the absence of oxygen, producing a gas predominantly composed of methane and carbon dioxide, otherwise known as biogas. In addition to biogas, the process also produces digestate, a solid fibrous residue and nutrient-rich liquid. Not only is this an innovative form of waste management for Long Island, it’s also a sign of what’s possible in the renewable energy sector in the United States and around the world. The Long Island anaerobic digester will have huge environmental benefits for the region. “The energy from biogas will be used in several ways,” says Peter Constantakes, spokesperson for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. “One, electricity produced from a six megawatt biogas-fueled power generation system will provide for on-site electrical needs. Two, biogas will be refined and compressed for use in trucks at the site. And three, refined biogas will be injected into the natural gas pipeline that is used by the public.” The Long Island plant will be completely self-sustainable and will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40,000 tons.
American Organic Energy www.usbiopower.com
Long Island Compost
www.usbiopower.com/ long-island-compost
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority www.nyserda.ny.gov
“
We’ll separate the tuna from the can, and recycle the tuna and recycle the can.
Graphic courtesy www.usbiopower.com, photograph © Thinkstock
” 10 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
ERIC KAYNE Š AP-WWP/Invision for NRG
the
Courtesy CSIRO
Capturing Carbon, Saving Planet
Diagram of a coalburning power plant with installed carbon capture technology.
By MICHAEL GALLANT
Above: The Petra Nova project in Houston, Texas, aims to annually capture over a million tons of carbon dioxide emitted from an existing coal-fueled power plant. Left: The Petra Nova project with the carbon capture facility.
To share articles go to http://span.state.gov JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 11
CARBON CAPTURE
Courtesy Business Wire
Cutting-edge carbon capture technologies seek to help in the fight against global climate change.
W
hen power plants burn coal and natural gas, they release millions of tons of carbon dioxide and other gases into the air every year, adding to the trends of extreme weather conditions, droughts, species extinctions, economic losses and other problems caused by climate change. But what if there was a way to prevent these harmful gases from reaching the atmosphere in the first place? Thanks to recent scientific advancements, a solution might exist—and it’s one that the U.S. government is actively pursuing. “We have made the largest government investment in carbon capture and storage of any nation...,” commented U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, referring to a technological process that is gaining popularity both within the United States and around the world.
“
We need as many technologies as possible to get carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.
How it works Carbon capture technology can work in three main ways, according to the Carbon Capture and Storage Association. Postcombustion capture means that the carbon dioxide released from the burning of coal or Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman (sixth from left) participates in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Petra Nova project.
”
Petra Nova Parish Holdings http://goo.gl/z8to32
Texas Clean Energy Project
U.S. Department of Energy
www.texascleanenergyproject.com
12 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
natural gas is absorbed by a solvent, and then removed, before it can escape into the environment. Alternatively, coal or gas can be specially processed before being burned for power, converting the fossil fuel into a mix of carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The polluting gas can be removed, and the hydrogen can be burned separately as a much cleaner source of energy. The process is known as pre-combustion capture. Finally, coal or gas can be burned surrounded by pure oxygen and not by normal air, as is done in standard power plants. The resulting carbon dioxide will be more concentrated and, therefore, easier to remove. The process is known as oxy-fuel combustion. Once carbon dioxide is separated and contained, the gas is compressed and, most often, put into a pipeline that transports it away from the power plant. To finish the process, the carbon dioxide is injected into underground spaces, such as former oil and gas fields, in which it can be stored. How effective is carbon capture at reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions?
The association’s predictions are being put into practice in projects like Petra Nova Parish Holdings in Houston, Texas. Supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, the project aims to capture over a million tons of carbon dioxide annually from an existing coal-fueled power plant. Before being stored underground permanently, the captured carbon dioxide will be used to increase production at mature oil fields in the U.S. Gulf Coast region, in a process known as Enhanced Oil Recovery. Another Department of Energy-supported initiative is the Texas Clean Energy Project, which will begin construction in 2016. The “clean coal” power plant will be a first-ofits-kind facility that will capture 90 percent of its carbon dioxide output—roughly two million tons per year—and also provide commercial products from gasified coal,
TRAVIS/Courtesy Flickr
Michael Gallant is the founder and chief executive officer of Gallant Music. He lives in New York City. MICHELLE LEPIANKA CARTER © AP-WWP/Tuscaloosa News
Making energy and capturing carbon dioxide
including urea for fertilizer and sulfuric acid. And like Petra Nova, Texas Clean Energy Project will use its captured carbon dioxide to help extract oil before storing the gas underground. “When it comes to carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the data has shown us that we need all hands on deck to solve this problem,” says Caroline Masiello, professor of earth science and chemistry at Rice University in Texas. Due to rise in carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere, most people are going to experience not just increased temperature but also extreme weather events like droughts and heavy downpours. That will impact people’s access to safe drinking water and water for agriculture. “This is a big problem and no single technology is going to fix it by itself,” she continues. “We need as many technologies as possible to get carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.”
ERIC KAYNE © AP-WWP/Invision for NRG
According to the Carbon Capture and Storage Association, reductions in carbon dioxide emissions from power plants can reach as high as 90 percent.
Above: Healy Clean Coal Project in Alaska was designed to reduce oxides of nitrogen and sulfur dioxide emissions while burning a variety of coal types like waste coal. Above left: Matthew Shannon (left), a chemical engineering student, and Jason Bara, an assistant professor at the University of Alabama, demonstrate using a gas absorption unit to measure the absorption of carbon dioxide. Left: A Petra Nova employee explains the beneficial uses of captured carbon dioxide. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
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A Wood-Fired Move over coal. Here comes torrefied wood, a viable and clean replacement.
Right: The Quitman Plant in Quitman, Mississippi, is one of the largest torrefaction facilities in North America and the first to operate commercialscale reactors. Solvay Biomass Energy’s entire production takes place here.
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C
By CARRIE LOEWENTHAL MASSEY
shine, biomass generates power consistently. Also, it leaves behind substantially less sulfur and ash byproduct than coal. Traditional biomass, however, poses a few challenges. Wood pellets, the most commonly used form of biomass, have about half the energy density of coal and they fall apart if they get wet, making storage expensive, writes Tom Kimmerer, chief scientist at Venerable Trees, Inc., a nonprofit focused on conservation of ancient trees, in an article on PlanetExperts.com. Enter torrefaction, which minimizes these obstacles by roasting the wood
BIOMASS
oal is cheap. Coal is everywhere. Coal is…dirty. But from the soot and ash of a world running on coal, an alternative is rising. Torrefied wood pellets, which come from biomass—energy-providing plant-derived materials—are a clean and stable energy source. “Biomass is very attractive because it can serve as ‘baseload’ or always-available power,” says Kevin Haley, director of communications for the American Council On Renewable Energy. Unlike wind and solar power, which can have intermittency issues if there isn’t enough wind or sun-
Photographs courtesy Solvay Biomass Energy
d Planet
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pellets at high temperatures in a low-oxygen environment, says Alison Hunt, vice president of communications at Solvay Biomass Energy, a renewable energy company based in Houston, Texas. “This process removes and recycles low-quality energy from the material and changes its chemical composition. The torrefied wood is then ground and processed through a pellet mill, creating durable torrefied pellets,” says Hunt. As a result of torrefaction, the pellets retain an energy density closer to coal’s and develop greater water resistance, while remaining low on carbon output.
Coal plants go green Torrefied wood “grinds like coal” and “burns similar to coal,” says Hunt, which gives it a distinct advantage over other wood pellets. “Converting a coal plant to burn conventional wood pellets requires a large capital investment. Because torrefied wood pellets can replace or be co-fired with coal without such expenditures, coal plants can immediately supply renewable energy without a lengthy or expensive conversion,” she adds. In fact, coal plants can operate near capacity on torrefied wood. This is an important advantage from energy and economic perspectives, as coal plants generate more than 40 percent of the world’s electricity, according to Hunt. Burning torrefied wood in place of coal requires no change in coal plant operations. It also offers an alternative for retiring coal plants in pursuit of cleaner energy which, Hunt says, would not be economically practical in most instances. There is one downside to torrefied wood though: it’s more expensive than coal. But, according to Hunt, if the trade-off is that a coal plant can switch to producing renewable energy, then torrefied pellets may be the most cost-effective solution. In addition to working in existing coal plants, torrefied pellets offer benefits for future biomassburning facilities. “For plants that are already converted to burn wood pellets, or for new biomass plants that come online, torrefied pellets are an attractive option due to the logistics savings compared to regular wood pellets,” says Hunt. Torrefied pellets’ higher energy density makes them more economical to ship than wood pellets with similar total energy content, because it takes fewer resources to make the same amount of fuel.
The question of sustainability “Torrefied pellets achieve significant greenhouse gas savings and can make a meaningful contribution to climate change mitigation,” says Hunt. “Sustainability is of utmost importance for the entire wood pellet industry, including torrefied wood pellet producers and their buyers. Sustainability requirements 16 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
Above: The Quitman Plant is capable of producing 240,000 metric tons of high quality biomass products annually, depending on the energy content of the pellets produced.
in the industry encourage best practices for healthy forest management.” These best practices include using forest and sawmill residuals in the torrefied pellets. “This creates a valuable use for pre-commercial thinnings and byproducts of existing forestry activities that otherwise may go to waste,” she says. Indeed, logging and other activities produce a staggering amount of waste wood—sometimes leaving up to 30 to 40 percent of trees, including tops, twigs and unsuitable stems, behind in the pursuit of solid wood. “Some of this needs to be left behind for soil enrichment, but a considerable amount can be harvested for wood energy,” writes Kimmerer in his article. He says that clearance from organizations like the Forest Stewardship Council or the Sustainable Forestry Initiative is another crucial piece of the sustainability puzzle. It’s one that Solvay takes seriously too, “and has successfully obtained third-party certifications for
Courtesy Solvay Biomass Energy
Go Online
American Council On Renewable Energy www.acore.org
Solvay Biomass Energy
http://solvaybiomassenergy.com
Forest Stewardship Council https://us.fsc.org/
Sustainable Forestry Initiative www.sfiprogram.org
responsible forestry and wood sourcing,” according to Hunt.
A global model? Torrefied wood can also serve as an alternative energy source in other countries, including India, as long as the appropriate feedstock and operating conditions are in place. India certainly has the coal plant infrastructure: In 2013, it relied on coal to generate more than half of its electricity. It has substantial agricultural waste that could be converted to fuel in biomass operations, according to The New York Times. While a feasibility study would be required to assess if India has the wood resources necessary for torrefied pellets, according to Hunt, it’s certainly a possibility worth exploring, considering torrefied wood’s potential as a sustainable coal replacement. Carrie Loewenthal Massey is a New York Citybased freelance writer. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
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U.S. Department of Energy
I
Are wave energy converters the future of clean energy?
n today’s world, there is an urgent need for exploring clean forms of energy. That’s why, the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Navy are working with an Oregon-based company, Northwest Energy Innovations, to develop a new way of generating sustainable and clean energy—wave energy converters. The source is, as the name suggests, the ocean. Northwest Energy Innovations’ firstgeneration prototype, named Azura, is a 45ton wave energy converter. Unlike other wave energy converters, which utilize only heave (up/down) or surge (front/back) movements, Azura extracts power from both the heave and surge motions of waves to maximize energy capture. Its designers had the challenge of constructing a device that could not only convert saltwater into energy, but also withstand plenty of different motions in the rough ocean environment. And that is precisely what they did. In June 2015, Azura’s grid-connected, open-ocean pilot test was launched at the
MaFelipe/iStock/Thinkstock
Top: Azura, deployed at the U.S. Navy’s Wave Energy Test Site in Kaneohe Bay in Oahu, Hawaii.
18 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
Tapping the Power of the Ocean By KIMBERLY GYATSO
U.S. Navy’s Wave Energy Test Site in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, at a depth of about 100 feet. The device, deployed for 12 months of testing, successfully generated grid power for Hawaii, marking the first time some American homes were officially powered, in part, by waves. Although it can only produce 20 kilowatts, the U.S. Department of Energy says that similar devices could eventually provide large amounts of clean power to coastal cities. Azura is connected to Hawaiian Electric’s grid as part of a rigorous program, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Navy and the University of Hawai’i, to commercialize the wave energy converter technology. The University of Hawai’i is also responsible for independently validating Azura’s performance through data collection, analysis and reporting. The data will be used by the U.S Department of Energy and the U.S. Navy in their ongoing efforts to promote wave energy technology and advance the marine renewable energy industry.
http://azurawave.com/
University of Hawai’i www.hawaii.edu
Go Online
Azura
Marine Renewable Energy Center
How does Azura work? The system produces power from the relative rotational motion between the hull, which is the upright tower structure, and the float, which sits between the hull’s two columns. It has an onboard generator that converts the kinetic motion to electricity, which is then transferred to the grid via an undersea cable. What really sets Azura apart from other wave energy converters is the float can rotate a full 360 degrees and oscillate back and forth, which allows the device to extract energy across a wide variety of wave conditions and improves the overall efficiency of the system. Northwest Energy Innovations’ deployment in 2012 of a prototype at the Northwest
National Marine Renewable Energy Center’s test site off the coast of Oregon provided the information the company needed to refine Azura’s design by increasing power output and improving durability. That’s why Azura continues to supply grid power to Hawaii, even when partially submerged under large waves. The results from Azura’s trial will be used by Northwest Energy Innovations and the U.S. Department of Energy to design a new generator that will operate in bigger waves at depths of 100 to 150 feet and generate up to one megawatt of energy, which is enough to power several hundred homes. Kimberly Gyatso is a freelance writer based in San Francisco.
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HYDROPOWER
Courtesy NWEI
http://nnmrec. oregonstate.edu
Blowin’ in the
Wind,
Connected in the
Cloud
Courtesy GE
By CARRIE LOEWENTHAL MASSEY
20 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
GE’s Digital Wind Farm
https://goo.gl/Bnn8hq
American Council On Renewable Energy
Go Online
www.acore.org
B
ob Dylan might have said it right in his song: the answer, at least to some of the world’s energy problems, may be “blowin’ in the wind.” That answer is wind power. A new technology from General Electric (GE) is set to boost the capacity of wind farms, or groupings of wind turbines, by 20 percent. Announced in May 2015, the GE Digital Wind Farm consists of two components. First are the turbines. In 2013, GE released its new two megawatt wind turbines that include sensors for tracking wind speed, blade position, changes in conditions and more. These sensors enable the second component—a digital connection that allows the turbines to communicate with each other and automatically adjust their performance to accommodate real-time demands. GE’s Predix, a cloud-based software, facilitates this link between the sensors. “Our Digital Wind Farm essentially couples big wind with big data,” said Anne M. McEntee, president and chief executive officer of GE Power & Water—Renewable Energy, in an article published by RenewableEnergyWorld.com. The Predix software continuously analyzes data from the wind turbines within the farm. It contains digital models of Continued on Page 24
WIND ENERGY
GE’s Digital Wind Farm creates new opportunities for the renewable energy sector.
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“
Digital Wind Farm technology is helping utilities and industrial users integrate wind power more easily and at lower costs.
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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
Photographs courtesy GE
Above: The two megawatt wind turbines include sensors for tracking wind speed, blade position and more. Left and right: At the GE Digital Wind Farm, every turbine has a cloud-based digital twin, which enhances its performance by automatically adjusting to real-time demands.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
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Photographs courtesy GE
the turbines that enable farm operators to see, at any given time, how each turbine is performing. As the cloud platform gathers more data over time, it can predict performance more accurately, seamlessly increase power output and, perhaps, even help reduce maintenance costs. Digitizing the wind farm’s performance is key to making wind power more attractive to utilities and other energy providers as a competitive replacement for fossil fuels. GE’s “Digital Wind Farm technology is helping utilities and industrial users integrate wind power more easily and at lower costs,” says Kevin Haley, director of communications at the American Council On Renewable Energy, a nonprofit organization focused on the integration of renewables into the U.S. energy profile. As with any technology in its early days, the Digital Wind Farm is subject to speculation as
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to its true capacity to make wind a reliable source of renewable energy. “For utility companies worried about the learning curve associated with adding new power technologies like wind, digital integration brings greater control over power assets and better performance to boost reliability—a top concern related to renewables,” says Haley. “There are concerns that even these digital tools are not enough to fill the gap between intermittent renewables like wind and utilities’ need for consistent, uninterrupted power. Digital management tools are very helpful to improve wind farm efficiency, but are they as important as things like [energy] storage? It remains to be seen,” he adds. Whether or not GE’s Digital Wind Farm fulfills all expectations, it does contribute to wind’s current standing as the lowest-cost new generation renewable technology, according to
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India can immediately start improving its air quality, environmental quality and public health as well as hedge against rising coal costs, by adding wind.
Above far left and above left: A GE wind turbine and its digital twin. Above: The new technology is expected to boost a wind farm’s energy production by as much as 20 percent.
the American Council On Renewable Energy. It already makes more financial sense to build a wind farm than it does to build a coal or natural gas plant in the United States, says Haley. He expects to see wind energy expand offshore in the United States as well. Offshore farms have distinct advantages: their turbines can be “massive,” thereby capable of generating more power, and they can fuel some of the most energy-reliant parts of the country, like New York City. “It’d be difficult to build a wind farm near New York City, unless it’s [25 or 30 kilometers] out in the ocean, where nobody will be bothered by it,” says Haley. Offshore wind farms along the East Coast alone could power up to 30 percent of the United States, predicts Haley, adding that GE’s technology will be “instrumental in managing these enormous turbines out at
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sea, where more constant wind means better, more consistent power.” GE’s Digital Wind Farm could be a model for India too. According to the American Council On Renewable Energy, research shows that wind is already costcompetitive with imported coal in the country. “India can immediately start improving its air quality, environmental quality and public health, as well as hedge against rising coal costs, by adding wind,” says Haley. The country, according to him, is a “top prospect” for many businesses developing renewable solutions. “India really is the next frontier for all types of renewable energy.” Carrie Loewenthal Massey is a New York City-based freelance writer.
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ANDREW FREEBERG/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Right: Stanford researchers will use cutting-edge spectrometry instruments to identify catalysts that convert carbon dioxide into renewable fuels. Below: Haotian Wang examines the novel water splitter developed to produce cleanburning hydrogen from water.
Water Power
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L.A. CICERO/Stanford News Service
By JASON CHIANG
Stanford University scientists have made a potentially game-changing energy breakthrough, creating a cheap way to efficiently extract cleanburning hydrogen fuel directly from water. 26 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
oday, researchers across the world are working on different solutions for one of the world’s most challenging issues: producing cleaner energy and its impact on the environment. The energy choices made during this pivotal time will have consequences for public health, the global climate and economies for decades to come. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, combustion of fossil fuels to generate electricity is the largest single source of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States, accounting for about 37 percent of the total U.S. carbon dioxide emissions and 31 percent of the total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2013. While the combustion of fossil fuels to transport people and goods is the second largest source of carbon dioxide emissions, combustion from various industrial processes is the third largest source of emissions in the United States. Scientists at Stanford University have been aggressively seeking cleaner and more efficient alternative energy technologies. One of their key areas of focus is hydrogen because of its natural abundance and distinctive environmental relief. In a major breakthrough, a research team led by Associate Professor Yi Cui and graduate student Haotian Wang has created a cheap way to efficiently extract clean-burning hydrogen fuel directly from water. This is a major advancement for realizing hydrogen fuel as a commercially feasible energy alternative in the near future. The primary challenge in generating hydrogen fuel has always been reducing the cost of production technologies to make it competitive with conventional fossil fuels. Despite being deemed environmentally sustainable, the process of producing hydrogen fuel typically involves natural gas—a fossil fuel that adds to global warming. Additionally, the energy conversion process to
L.A. CICERO/Stanford News Service
HYDROGEN FUEL
Unlike conventional water splitters, the device developed in Associate Professor Yi Cui’s lab uses a single low-cost catalyst to generate hydrogen bubbles on one electrode and oxygen bubbles on the other.
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Go Online
Global Climate and Energy Project
https://gcep.stanford.edu/
Yi Cui Lab https://goo.gl/Kt1Tb6
Courtesy Iowa State University
Biochar, a form of charcoal used as a soil amendment, is applied to an agricultural research plot near Lewis, Iowa. Scientists from Iowa State and other universities received GCEP funding to study the long-term effectiveness of using biochar to store carbon in the ground.
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If we can effectively and economically
introduce hydrogen into our energy system, it could also have a huge effect on global carbon emissions.
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capture hydrogen requires costly catalysts, like platinum or iridium, to drive the watersplitting reaction. Scientists have long attempted to advance a cheaper and more efficient way to extract pure hydrogen from water. The Stanford team has now achieved this, with remarkable performance efficiency. Wang and his colleagues first discovered that nickel-iron oxide could be used as a single low-cost catalyst in the watersplitting process. “Some of the most efficient catalysts, such as platinum and iridium, are scarce and expensive, which blocks their industrialization and commercial viability,” explains Wang. “My goal was to rationally design highlyefficient, earth-abundant and cheap catalysts to replace those noble metals, so that it could be cheaply brought to market.” By using the inexpensive nickel-iron oxide as a single catalyst in the chemical reaction, Wang and his colleagues found their innovative water splitter could produce both hydrogen and oxygen gas continuously for more than 200 hours—a record that easily outperformed the more expensive metal catalysts. “People want to utilize clean energy to do everything currently done with fossil fuels, such as
heat their houses and drive their cars,” says Wang. “Some of our future goals are to produce clean hydrogen as energy carriers for home use or cheaper hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.” Cui and Wang’s exploration of new electrocatalysts is just one of the many novel energy technologies made possible by Stanford’s Global Climate and Energy Project (GCEP). It is a long-term effort aimed at developing innovative energy research programs for technologies that are efficient, environmentally conscious and cost-effective when deployed on a larger commercial scale. Richard Sassoon, managing director of GCEP, is optimistic about the impact of Cui and Wang’s single-catalyst water splitter, along with the other projects chosen in their current funding cycle. “If we can effectively and economically introduce hydrogen into our energy system, it could also have a huge effect on global carbon emissions. Our biggest challenges for the future will be finding ways to assist in translating these breakthroughs into widely-deployed commercial products and services.” Jason Chiang is a freelance writer based in Silver Lake, Los Angeles.
TONYYAO/iStock/Thinkstock Courtesy Stanford University
Richard Sassoon
Stanford University’s Global Climate and Energy Project (GCEP) recently awarded $9.3 million to six new projects on energy, ranging from a device that extracts power from the night sky to a charcoal-like soil amendment that removes carbon dioxide from the air. The funding will be shared by scientists at Stanford University, Iowa State University, University of California, Berkeley, Princeton University and University of Minnesota. Excerpts from an interview with GCEP Managing Director
Richard Sassoon
on the new research projects and the future of clean energy production.
Can you briefly discuss the six new research projects that were selected in this funding cycle? What set them apart and made GCEP so excited about their prospects? These new research projects represent four awards made to Stanford faculty in a variety of energy areas and two awards that were made to outside universities in the area of carbon-negative energy supply technologies. The four Stanford projects are all excellent science, offering the potential to lead to breakthroughs in reducing worldwide carbon emissions, if successfully deployed. The two projects external to Stanford go even further by trying to design systems that would not only produce energy, but also actually reduce carbon emissions at the same time. These types of approaches could be very important, especially later this century, if we have not been able to reduce greenhouse gas emissions enough in the meantime. Which potential realworld applications of GCEP’s research are especially intriguing to you? Among the close to 100
research efforts that GCEP has supported, I believe many have the potential to lead to intriguing real-world applications. From the six recently-selected projects, building a device that combines a combustion engine with a more efficient fuel cell could have a huge impact on reducing carbon emissions if it is widely used in transportation vehicles. What are some of the other areas related to sustainable energy that your team is interested in further exploring? As we look to the future, we would like to build on the capabilities that have already been developed in areas such as photovoltaics, bioenergy conversion, batteries, fuels from CO2, advanced combustion systems and the electric grid. We plan to work much more closely with our industry partners in identifying areas and topics that are most relevant to the energy challenge. We will be designing the next phase of GCEP to be flexible to both move forward along the already-identified promising lines of research, as well as be open to new ideas from our research investigators. —J.C. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
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Collage by HEMANT BHATNAGAR, photographs courtesy U.S. Department of Energy, WARREN GRETZ/National Renewable Energy Laboratory
A
Digging Deep for Energy By PAROMITA PAIN
s the world strives to build a more sustainable future, geothermal energy is drawing global interest. The word “geothermal” is of Greek origin, from root words that signify “earth” and “hot.” “The Future of Geothermal Energy,” a report published by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2006, states, “Geothermal resources span a wide range of heat sources from the Earth, including not only the more easily developed, currently economic hydrothermal resources, but also the Earth’s deeper, stored thermal energy, which is present anywhere.”
New players The field of geothermal energy has seen the emergence of several new players, one of which is Seattle-based AltaRock Energy, Inc. Founded in 2007 by Susan Petty and Aaron Mandell, AltaRock describes itself as a “fullservice geothermal energy technology and services company” with the ability to turn “underperforming assets into highly profitable energy projects, building and operating the geothermal power plants of the future.” It has venture capital funding from Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, Khosla Ventures and
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Vulcan Capital, the investment firm of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. AltaRock is a pioneer in the field of geothermal energy because it uses new ways to effectively tap this vast energy resource. It holds a number of patents and exclusive licenses to related intellectual property for a suite of enhanced geothermal system technologies. In a 2013 article, Bloomberg described AltaRock’s technology as one that “creates a geothermal source of power where none was naturally occurring” as opposed to traditional systems which only tap naturally occurring reservoirs. The U.S. Department of Energy says that as “demand for net-zero energy campuses, military installations and offices increases, geothermal energies offer great opportunities...for near-term deployment and could provide a large fraction of the energy demand currently supplied by high-grade fossil fuels.”
Innovative technology In 2010, AltaRock and Davenport Newberry, which specializes in the development and management of geothermal opportunities, demonstrated the enhanced
Go Online “The Future of Geothermal Energy” http://goo.gl/KaqznJ
AltaRock Energy, Inc. http://altarockenergy.com/
Baseload Clean Energy Partners
AltaRock uses innovative technology to tap geothermal energy.
Since the Oregon demonstration, the company has moved on to new projects. In May 2015, Baseload Clean Energy Partners, operated by AltaRock, announced the acqui-
Energy potential
http://goo.gl/tx1Usu
Above: Geysers like Old Faithful at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming are a type of geothermal feature.
The company also claims that its techniques offer an environmentally sustainable and economically viable source of energy and that this technology “has the potential to provide up to 10 percent of U.S. energy needs within a generation and to do so using not only domestic natural resources, but domestic technology as well.” Paromita Pain is a journalist based in Austin, Texas.
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GEOTHERMAL
Different ventures
sition of Blue Mountain Power LLC, which owned a 49.5 megawatt geothermal power plant in Nevada. Baseload is now planning an improvement program for the Blue Mountain Power project, using AltaRock’s innovative multizone stimulation process to increase its power output. “Our goal is to bring online a new set of clean, baseload power assets and the first step is demonstrating that enhanced geothermal power provides attractive financial returns compared to other forms of clean energy,” Mandell said in a press statement.
Newberry EGS Demonstration
JOEL RENNER/U.S. Department of Energy
geothermal system technology as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Geothermal Technologies Program at a site near Newberry Volcano in Oregon. The technology can help create geothermal reservoirs and extract heat from the earth in locations where high temperatures can be reached by conventional drilling techniques, in an effort to advance the potential of geothermal energy. “This segment of the market will continue to grow as clean power further displaces fossil fuels....” Mandell said in a recent press statement. In October 2015, AltaRock participated in the Bend Fall Festival to provide information on geothermal energy research and the development taking place at Newberry Volcano, including the U.S. Department of Energy’s Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy project.
http://goo.gl/LbGslO
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JOE MCHUGH/California Highway Patrol
Clearing Go Online California Air Resources Board
www.arb.ca.gov
The Sustainable City Plan
http://plan.lamayor.org/environment
Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California India-California Air Pollution Mitigation Program
MEINZAHN/iStock/Thinkstock
http://goo.gl/MbxcML
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U.S. Department of State
https://pm.usc.edu/
Above: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. during a discussion on the global fight against climate change, in San Jose, California, in September 2015. Below: An aerial view of Los Angeles covered in fog.
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Air
By STEVE FOX
nce synonymous with smog, Los Angeles has cleaned up its air significantly. And this decadeslong endeavor may also help major metropolitan areas like Mumbai, a sister city to Los Angeles, and other Indian cities. Collaboration is already underway, as demonstrated by a meeting in September 2015 between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. to discuss the global fight against climate change. “California and India have a very close and very dynamic relationship,” said Governor Brown, announcing a partnership between California and Indian states, whereby California will provide expertise to help reduce air pollution. “California has pioneered cleaning up
the air and cleaning up the environment over many years. Collaboration on a regulatory and technical level could be helpful. There’s a lot to do.” A study by the California Air Resources Board, published in the scientific journal Environmental Science & Technology, shows that the cancer risk from exposure to the state’s most significant air toxics declined by 76 percent between 1990 and 2012, a direct result of regulations targeting unhealthy emissions. As California’s largest metropolitan area, with more than 18 million residents, Los Angeles has pioneered many of the regulations and technologies that have improved its air quality and, thereby, the health of its citizens. According to a
Lessons from California’s success in improving air quality.
AIR QUALITY
the
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DAMIAN DOVARGANES © AP-W WWP OMAR BÁRCENA /Courtesy Flickr
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NICK UT © AP-W WWP
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All sources have to be targeted— the major ones, the easy targets, if you will, but also small sources that may not amount to much individually but are very significant collectively.
manufacturers said, ‘It’s impossible, we can’t do it.’ We said, ‘You guys are pretty smart, figure out how to do it.’ Well, it turns out they were pretty smart and they found ways to meet the standards.” While mobile sources of pollution, like cars, trucks, planes, trains and ships, were the most important targets, Dr. Avol stresses that regulators went after virtually everything that emitted harmful gases. “All sources have to be targeted—the major ones, the easy targets, if you will, but also small sources that may not amount to much individually but are very significant collectively,” says Dr. Avol. “For example, we did have to go after dry cleaners and consumer products such as barbecue fluid because, collectively, that turns out to be a source worth pursuing.” An integrated and “do-it-now” approach is crucial, stresses Heather Tomley, director of environmental planning at the Port of Long Beach, which, along with the Port of Los Angeles,
20-year study by the Keck School of Medicine’s Department of Preventive Medicine at the University of Southern California, a significant improvement in lung function among children was found to parallel the introduction of policies to improve air quality. “Health in humans is strongly affected by air quality, not only in children, but also in adulthood and later adulthood,” says Dr. W. James Gauderman, professor of preventive medicine at the university and lead author of the study. “The importance of air quality just can’t be overestimated.” Dr. Edward Avol, a co-author of the study and professor of clinical preventive medicine at the university, notes that Los Angeles and other parts of California were aggressive in combating sources of air pollution, starting with automobiles. “We set standards for automobile emissions at a time when we didn’t really know how we were going to meet them,” he says. “Initially, the auto
“California has demonstrated that these pollutants can be mitigated drastically without slowing down economic development,” the report notes. “India has a great opportunity to benefit from the improvement in the transportation sector demonstrated by California and leapfrog to sustainable transportation by adopting the holistic path of: Avoid (unnecessary urban travel), Shift (from high to lower-emission forms of transport) and Improve (transport technology to reduce emissions).” While California’s achievements are welcome, Dr. Avol and others caution that improving air quality is a long-term commitment. “Thinking about it from a global perspective, the path we took can be successful in other places, but it takes work,” says Dr. Avol. “It doesn’t come easy.”
Far left: The Los Angeles Reservoir, like other open-air reservoirs in the city, is covered with millions of black plastic “shade balls” to help protect water quality. Left: People bicycle near downtown Los Angeles. Bike-sharing is an effective way of reducing air pollution. Below far left: Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck (left) and Mayor Eric Garcetti stand next to an all-electric car after announcing details of the fleet purchase for the transition by the city departments to green energy vehicles. Below second from left: Helios House in Los Angeles is the first LEED-certified gas station in the United States. Below left: Solar panels cover the roof of the parking lot of the Department of Water and Power in Los Angeles. Below: TreePeople is an environmental nonprofit organization that aims to establish a functioning community forest in every neighborhood of Los Angeles. JOHN FISCHER/Courtesy Flickr
CHRIS CARLSON © AP-W WWP
Steve Fox is a freelance writer, former newspaper publisher and reporter based in Ventura, California.
KEVORK DJANSEZIAN © AP-WWP
are two of America’s busiest ports and have achieved significant reduction in emissions over the past 10 years. “There were questions about adopting emissions controls when the U.S. economy was struggling,” says Tomley. “We never compromised. We knew the economy would come back and we didn’t want to lose ground waiting. Cleaning up the air doesn’t need to be a trade-off between benefits and economic success.” Los Angeles and other parts of California have achieved these improvements despite enormous population growth and economic development, offering specific lessons for India, according to a 2014 study by the India-California Air Pollution Mitigation Program, a joint initiative of The Energy and Resources Institute in India, the University of California, San Diego, and the California Air Resources Board. The study cited technologies and fuels that dramatically improved the air quality in Los Angeles and could be implemented in India.
Energy Careers By JAMES L. PERRY and ELISABETH ANDREWS
Launching a career in
sustainable and renewable energy.
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BRUCE SMITH © AP-WWP
EDUCATION
A 15 megawatt wind turbine drivetrain testing rig at Clemson University’s Energy Systems Innovation Center in North Charleston, South Carolina.
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WILL VRAGOVIC © AP-W WWP/T ampa Bay Times
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Right: Duke Energy Florida and the University of South Florida St. Petersburg unveil a solar battery project that will explore how to store and use solar energy. Far right: Renewable energy technology students work in an electronics lab at Columbia Gorge Community College in The Dalles, Oregon. Below far right: A solar energy unit built by Fiona Martin, a student of the University of Dayton, Ohio, for her senior design project.
he United States and India are committed to identifying sustainable strategies for energy production and working together to incorporate renewable energy and energy efficiency into economic development. In 2015, the two countries pledged to partner on a range of issues related to climate change and clean energy, including expanding their Partnership to Advance Clean Energy Research (PACE-R), accelerating clean energy finance, promoting super-efficient off-grid appliances and transforming the market for efficient and climate-friendly cooling. India is home to 17 percent of the global population and is poised to double its energy demand over the next decade, according to the Brookings Institution. With this growing demand for energy comes a pressing need for professionals who have the skills and knowledge to design and implement sustainable energy solutions. For Indian students interested in such initiatives, professional degrees in sustainable and renewable energy provide an ideal foundation. The United States, which has a great deal of experience in supporting sustainable development through public and private sector collaborations, offers a number of university degree programs to launch 21st-century energy careers. Career opportunities available to graduates span numerous settings and industries, from government programs and corporate initiatives to local community efforts. For instance, at Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA), which offers energy concentrations in both Master of Public Affairs and Master of Science in Environmental Science degrees, graduates have joined organizations like the electric utility giant Commonwealth Edison and the World Bank. “The sustainable energy career landscape covers the whole Earth,” says Michael McGuire, executive associate
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dean at SPEA. “Every organization has an energy impact, whether it uses or produces energy. In all likelihood, if you graduate with a SPEA degree, your career is going to span the public, private and nonprofit sectors, because there’s so much intersection around energy issues.”
How to select a school The global credibility of U.S. degrees provides graduates with vast opportunities as well as access to valuable alumni networks. In researching programs and schools, consider: • How closely does the program fit your career goals? Can you see a connection between the courses offered and the work you hope to do in the future? • Does the school offer dual-degree programs that allow you to specialize in more than one area? For example, students at SPEA can simultaneously pursue Master of Public Affairs and Master of Science in Environmental Science degrees with energy concentrations, developing expertise in both science and policy. • If you’re interested in a particular technology, such as photovoltaic or wind energy, or a particular approach through policy or private enterprise, are there experts on the school’s faculty who can become your mentors? • What hands-on opportunities will you have to build your experience and professional networks through internships and coursework involving real-world clients? • How does the school measure up in terms of cost, location and facilities?
Applying to master’s programs Each school, and sometimes each program, has its own application process. So, you will need to research the specific requirements for the universities and programs
ROSS COURTNEY © AP-WWP/Yakima Herald-Republic
Toward a sustainable future
Go Online
Global energy needs continue to expand, along with the attention to the long-term sustainability of energy resources. Students entering this field have an unprecedented opportunity to get involved in shaping national and international policies as well as community and corporate strategies for sustainable development. As the United States and India continue to partner on advancing clean energy initiatives, there has never been a better time for Indian students to draw on U.S. expertise to launch meaningful careers in sustainable and renewable energy.
AL BEHRMAN © AP-WWP
that interest you. Be sure to begin this process well in advance of when you plan to enroll, as you may have to take standardized tests that are offered only at specific times of the year. Most applications also require recommendations from teachers or supervisors, a personal essay, background information submitted through an online form and transcripts from your undergraduate studies. Keep in mind that some U.S. institutions do not recognize three-year undergraduate degrees from Indian institutions, as the U.S. bachelor’s degree typically requires four years of study. Don’t hesitate to contact schools with questions about your eligibility—you will not only get personalized guidance, but also have a chance to evaluate each school’s responsiveness and attention to student inquiries.
Partnership to Advance Clean Energy Research http://goo.gl/rcq1gb
SPEA https://spea.indiana.edu/
James L. Perry is distinguished professor emeritus and chancellor’s professor emeritus at the Indiana University, Bloomington, School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Elisabeth Andrews is a solopreneur and editor for Scholars and Policymakers, based in Bloomington, Indiana.
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DON FERIA/Courtesy Flickr
Tech Travel
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he Tech Museum of Innovation—located in the heart of Silicon Valley—provides a deep understanding about how technology plays a key role in our lives. This museum in San Jose, California, offers interactive exhibits, an IMAX theater and countless ways to experience the forefront of progress in a world-class facility. The Tech is more than a museum; it’s also a valued community resource for educating and
By ANNE WALLS
empowering future generations. It features programs like the Tech Academies of Innovation, which partners with schools in underserved communities to build model programs for teaching STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects. In 2015, the museum was awarded the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the highest honor for a museum in the United States.
Ignite your innovation with a trip to Silicon Valley‘s Tech Museum. To share articles go to http://span.state.gov JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 41
TRAVEL
Visitors experience virtual travel through the “You are Everywhere” exhibit at the museum’s Tech Silicon Valley Innovation Gallery.
Photographs by NA'IM BEYAH Courtesy The Tech Museum of Innovation
Exhibits and galleries At the Tech Museum, there’s no shortage of cutting-edge activities and exhibits. For instance, “Body Metrics” uses wearable technology to collect and analyze data about one’s physical attributes and emotions. Visitors can wear the sensory kits the entire day to learn about the changes they can make to improve their physical and mental health. For example, a visual representation of breathing and heart rates helps people to better understand the correlation between them and set health goals. The device also helps users achieve these goals by directing them to corresponding exhibits. Based on the collected data, visitors receive a detailed analysis of their experience, including how they reacted to everything they saw and felt. Ever wanted to build a social robot? The Tech Museum’s “Social Robots” exhibition is the perfect place to design, build and program a robot using sensors, controllers and actuators. Visitors can learn about online safety at the interactive exhibit, “Cyber Detectives,” where they can train and tackle missions as cyber sleuths. They can learn how
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to decode secret messages, identify phony websites, protect passwords and networks and create code before they’re put to the test as cyber security professionals. Space fans can experience what it’s like to be an astronaut by riding in a NASA-manned maneuvering unit at the “Jet Pack Chair” exhibit in the Exploration Gallery. People get to float around in a closed arena using jets of compressed air. Next up, check out the View from Space gallery, which features two projectors casting rotating images onto a six-foot sphere, creating the effect of Earth in space. After this galactic trip, step aboard the museum’s Shake Platform, which simulates eight different earthquakes based on actual seismic data. Don’t miss out on the world’s only exhibition that shows how technology coming out of Silicon Valley is revolutionizing the way people communicate, think and create—the Silicon Valley Innovation Gallery. This unique, hands-on exhibit explores the intersection of art and technology by immersing visitors in virtual travel, digital art, nanotechnology and computer animation.
Above: “Cyber Detectives,” an interactive exhibit at the Tech Museum, provides information about Internet security. Above left and top: At the “Body Metrics” exhibit, visitors use wearable technology to get a detailed analysis of their physical and mental health. Above right: The Tech Silicon Valley Innovation Gallery showcases the vast range of Silicon Valley innovation and creativity—technologies that shape how the world creates, communicates, lives, works and plays.
DON FERIA/Courtesy Flickr
Go Online
Theater and studio A visit to the museum won’t be complete without watching a show at the Hackworth IMAX Dome Theater. It mesmerizes audiences with 9,000 square feet of wrap-around image and 13,000 watts of digital surround sound. At the Tech Studio, the question, “How can technology be used to make our community a better place to live?” is always on the table. The 3,000-squarefoot collaborative design space has an array of daily guided programs and weekend workshops related to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) learning and engineering design, including helping visitors develop computer apps to solve social issues. Each year, more than 120,000 children flock to the Tech Museum for field trips. The museum also offers summer camps, badge programs for Girl Scouts, bilingual family mathematics and engineering classes, birthday parties and even sleepovers for families and groups. So what are you waiting for? Plan your tech trip of a lifetime to Silicon Valley’s Tech Museum today.
The Tech Museum of Innovation
IMAX Dome Theater
www.thetech.org
http://goo.gl/r2OrPN
Galleries
Tech Studio
http://goo.gl/0tj2Sz
http://goo.gl/WcN7Z0
Anne Walls is a writer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles, California.
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Registered under RNI-66586/60 Photographs by The Tech Museum of Innovation/Courtesy Flickr
Above: The Hackworth IMAX Dome Theater offers a one-ofa-kind viewing experience with its 9,000 square feet of wrap-around image and 13,000 watts of digital surround sound. Left: A view of the Tech Museum of Innovation building.